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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. spell — letters
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. spell — magic
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. file — a tool
  7. suit — in cards
  8. file — a document
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. tube — a container
  11. date — the fruit
  12. wake — a trail
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. tube — the underground
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. ball — a great time
  19. suit — to fit
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. spell — a short time
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. suit — clothes
  24. ball — a dance

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com